Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdapor’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Bkdapor’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; early and continuous flowering habit; semi-double inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets and dark red-colored disc florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKDAPOR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkdapor’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely branching habit, attractive ray floret coloration, long flowering period and good garden performance.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2006 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number 2006-1000, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in July, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since November, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bkdapor’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkdapor’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Early and continuous flowering habit.     -   4. Semi-double inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets         and dark red-colored disc florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia have smaller inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have orange red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Dahlstar Orange’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘Dahlstar Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Dahlstar Orange’ differed in         leaf color as plants of ‘Dahlstar Orange’ had lighter         green-colored leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Dahlstar Orange’ differed in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Dahlstar Orange’ had darker         orange-colored ray florets.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Dahlstar Orange’ differed in         disc floret color as plants of ‘Dahlstar Orange’ had         orange-colored disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkdapor’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkdapor’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial container Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘Bkdapor’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dahlia             hybrida identified as code number 2006-1000, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous, white in             color; tuber development has not been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright, somewhat             outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted             triangle; two primary lateral branches develop, each primary             lateral branch with numerous secondary branches;             inflorescences held above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; bushy and dense growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13.4 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 19.4 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Aspect: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 187A to 187B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or             occasionally compound with three leaflets.         -   Leaf length.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 8.4 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acuminate to acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Dentate to coarsely dentate.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A to             138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B;             venation, close to 146A to 146B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 191A to 191B; venation, close to             146A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to N199B tinged with close to 146A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Semi-double inflorescence form             with ray and disc florets forming acropetally on a             receptacle; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane             on strong peduncles; inflorescences face upright to slightly             outwardly; freely flowering habit, about 18 inflorescences             per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, sweet.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about 54 days after planting; plants flower             continuously during the late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two to three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to 151B; towards             the base, close to 152B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.4 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle             height: About 2 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 56 arranged             in about four whorls. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About             9.5 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Aspect: About 80° from vertical; ray florets             concave. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N25C;             towards the base, close to 42A and 44A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 24B; towards the base, close to 46A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 21C; towards the base, close             to 42A; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 22B; color does not change             with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 40. Length:             About 9 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated;             apices, acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened: Close to             53A; towards the base, close to 150D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About twelve             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About             3.5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Broadly cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A to             145B; towards the base, close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N199A tinged with             close to 152A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets             only: Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 1C. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color:             Close to 13A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             13A. Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity             per floret: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Style length:             About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 154A to 154B. Stigma             shape: Cleft. Stigma color: Close to 13A. Ovary color: Close             to 145B. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Dahlia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain. Plants     of the new Dahlia have been observed to be tolerant to high     temperatures of 35° C. and hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdapor’ as illustrated and described. 